Irwindale mayor, Mark Breceda, second from left, listens to council members speak during a Irwindale City Council meeting about Huy Fong Foods company in Irwindale, Calif., on Wednesday, April 9, 2014.
(Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News)

READ MORE

IRWINDALE >> The popular Sriracha hot sauce found itself in hot water Wednesday night when the City Council unanimously declared the factory that produces the sauce a public nuisance.

After giving Huy Fong Foods six weeks to work with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to conduct testing at the factory, the City Council determined the odor coming from the factory has created a problem for residents. The council also determined the Sriracha factory breached its contract with the city.

The Council is expected to give Huy Fong Foods 90 days to address the odor problems before city officials enter the factory to fix the problems themselves.

Stephen Onstot, an attorney for the city, said it would require another City Council vote to enforce the public nuisance order.

The council heard testimony at a Feb. 26 public hearing from several residents who complained about the strong chili odors coming from the factory and more than a dozen factory employees who implored the council to keep the factory open.

“We’re disappointed,” said Huy Fong’s attorney, John Tate. “We had been led to believe we were providing the city what it wanted.”

Tate disputed the council’s finding that there was enough evidence that showed the odors created a public nuisance.

“They seemed to be in a hurry to find a violation, when the evidence last time we were here showed about 12 people from the entire city having a complaint. It seemed to be to be a bit heavy handed,” Tate said.

Advertisement

Councilman H. Manuel Ortiz abstained from the discussion and vote because he lives near the factory.

“We worked hand-in-hand with Huy Fong Foods,” said Councilman Albert Ambriz. “I still feel there’s enough verbal and documentary evidence to constitute this as a public nuisance.”

New testimony came from two local politicians pledging support for Huy Fong Foods.

“I ask that the City of Irwindale reject this inflammatory and unnecessary public nuisance designation and work constructively with Huy Fong Foods to resolve these issues,” a statement from state Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, said. “If not, I’m certain there are a number of cities right here in the San Gabriel Valley who would be happy to have a business like Huy Fong Foods in their community.”

Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina, said in a statement he was concerned about the effect the factory’s closure would have on the San Gabriel Valley economy and the entire state.

Before the vote, Tate told the council Huy Fong Foods would prepare a timeline to mitigate the odors emanating from the factory within 10 days.

He said he believed the company would be able to fix the odor problem on or before June 1. The chili grinding season, which residents say creates the strongest odors, begins in late August.

An attorney for the city said the public nuisance order would not need to be enforced if Huy Fong fixed the problem before June 1.

Mohsen Nazemi, AQMD deputy executive director, said AQMD inspectors have taken air samples inside the plant in the last few weeks while factory workers have been mixing the hot sauce. He said a carbon filtration system should alleviate the odors.

Councilman Julian Miranda asked if that filtration system would work during the grinding season.

“We think that a similar type of technology can be used,” said Nazemi. “Because they are not doing any grinding, we didn’t have the opportunity to measure what type of pollutants are coming off. We believe it might be similar to mixing operation.”

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered Huy Fong Foods in November to halt any operations that created the smell and immediately make changes to mitigate the smell after the city filed a lawsuit against the company. The chili grinding season was already completed by the time the judge issued his order, according to Huy Fong’s attorney.

Huy Fong officials said it has installed filters on the roof of the factory, but is working with AQMD to find long-term solutions.